Cape Cod & the South Shore, Massachusetts
Septic replacement and Title 5 help, matched to a local contractor
Selling a home, holding a failed Title 5, or planning an upgrade? Cape Cod Septic Pros connects Barnstable and Plymouth County homeowners with independent licensed local septic contractors. Tell us where you are in the process and we set up a free, no-obligation quote. We are a free matching service, not a contractor.
Serving all of Cape Cod and the South Shore. See service areas
Get Your Free Contractor Match
When you submit this form, your information is shared with a licensed local septic contractor for the purpose of scheduling your free consultation and quote. It is free, and there is no obligation.
The inspection sets the clock. The programs shrink the bill.
That is the whole Title 5 story on Cape Cod. A property sale forces the inspection, the result starts a timeline, and two money programs decide what the upgrade really costs. Get those three things straight and the rest is choosing a contractor.
The inspection sets the clock
In Massachusetts a septic system is inspected at or within two years before a sale, and an inspection up to three years old counts if the tank was pumped once a year in that window. An inspection can also be done within six months after the closing with written notice to the buyer. Only a MassDEP-approved System Inspector may perform it. If the system fails, you generally have up to two years to upgrade, sooner only if it is an imminent health hazard.
The programs shrink the bill
A conventional replacement on the Cape runs about $25,000 to $45,000, and a nitrogen-reducing I/A system about $25,000 to $35,000. The Massachusetts Title 5 tax credit and Barnstable County's AquiFund loan program exist to soften that, and most homeowners we hear from have not run the real math on either one.
What the money programs actually cover
The state tax credit
For a principal residence, the Massachusetts Title 5 credit covers 60% of eligible costs up to $30,000: a maximum of $18,000, claimed up to $4,000 a year over as many as five years. Second homes and rentals do not qualify. Verified July 2026 against Schedule SC.
The AquiFund loan
Barnstable County's AquiFund makes 20-year betterment loans. Septic repairs, replacements, and I/A upgrades are financed at 4%. The income-tiered 0% and 2% rates are for new sewer connections. No published loan cap. Terms current as of July 2026.
A worked example
A $30,000 conventional replacement on a principal residence: up to $18,000 back through the tax credit over several years, with a 20-year AquiFund loan at 4% spreading what is left. Your contractor and tax preparer confirm the numbers for your situation.
The full money-programs guideWe do not give tax or legal advice. These are current program terms as of July 2026 from mass.gov and capecod.gov. Confirm your eligibility with Schedule SC, the AquiFund program, and your town board of health.
How the match works
Three steps, no cost, no obligation. We are a marketing and matching service, so our job is to hand you off to the right licensed local contractor and get out of the way.
- 01
Tell us about your property
Your town, where you are in the Title 5 process, and what you know about the system. A minute on the form or a phone call.
- 02
We connect you with a contractor
An independent licensed local septic contractor who works your town and handles the kind of job you have, from inspection to full replacement.
- 03
You get a free quote
The contractor visits, scopes the work, and gives you a written estimate. No obligation. How we are paid.
Verify your septic contractor
Massachusetts does not keep one central license for septic contractors. A Title 5 inspection may be performed only by a currently MassDEP-approved System Inspector, and system installation is permitted town by town through your local board of health. That makes the official records the place to confirm anyone you hire, so check them yourself before you sign. Every contractor we connect you with is asked to hold the right approvals, and you can verify any name against the public lists below.
Three questions to ask before you hire
- For a Title 5 inspection, are you a currently MassDEP-approved System Inspector?
- Will you pull the Disposal System Construction Permit from our town board of health and handle the local sign-offs?
- Can you show current liability insurance and a written, itemized estimate before any work starts?
Cape Cod Title 5 questions
Who does the septic work?
Independent licensed local septic contractors. Cape Cod Septic Pros is a free matching service operated by Compass Camper LLC (doing business as Compass Lead Group). The contractor you are matched with performs the inspection, repair, or installation, not us.
Do I have to upgrade my septic system for the Cape Cod nitrogen rules?
Not right now. All 15 Barnstable County towns filed watershed-permit Notices of Intent by July 7, 2025, which paused the five-year innovative and alternative (I/A) upgrade mandate. As of July 2026 no homeowner faces that deadline. The rule can return if a town lets its permit lapse, so the honest answer is to plan, not panic.
When does a Title 5 inspection have to be done, and how long is it good for?
A system is inspected at or within two years before the sale of the property. An inspection up to three years old can be used if you have records showing the tank was pumped at least once a year in that time. Only a MassDEP-approved System Inspector may perform it.
How much does a septic replacement cost on Cape Cod?
A conventional Title 5 replacement on the Cape generally runs about $25,000 to $45,000, and a nitrogen-reducing I/A system about $25,000 to $35,000, before the Massachusetts Title 5 tax credit and AquiFund financing are applied. Your contractor gives you a firm number after a site visit.
What does the matching service cost me?
Nothing. Cape Cod Septic Pros is free for homeowners. We are paid a referral fee by the contractor we match you with, and that fee never increases the price you pay for your project.
What area do you cover?
Barnstable County (all of Cape Cod) and Plymouth County on the South Shore, from Bourne and Sandwich out to the Lower Cape, and Plymouth on the mainland.
Get matched with a local septic contractor
Tell us where your property is and where you are in the Title 5 process. We connect you with an independent licensed local septic contractor for a free, no-obligation consultation and quote.
Monday to Friday, 8 AM to 5 PM Eastern